If you ask Paul Krugman, the Republican Party's obsession with shutting down the agency tasked with responding to natural disasters borders on the insane.

"There's something pathological" about "the weird Republican obsession with killing FEMA," or the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the New York Times columnist wrote in a blog post Wednesday. "It’s really hard to think of a public service less likely to be suitable for privatization."

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said at a GOP primary debate last June that he would "absolutely" shut down FEMA and transfer its responsibilities to the states. "If you can go even further, and send it back to the private sector, that's even better," Romney added.

Earlier on HuffPost:

Paul Krugman's Greatest Takedowns

Paul Krugman's Greatest Takedowns

1

of

9

Chris Christie

Krugman has slammed Christie for touting a New Jersey comeback, even when the state still faces a 9.8 percent unemployment rate. He's also criticized the governor for his decision to raise taxes on low-income New Jersey residents, while vetoing a temporary tax boost for millionaires.